PEOPLE 28
brokernews.com.au
THINKTANK sees brand refresh in third-party hire The specialist lender has a new third-party head to coincide with its new branding
S
pecialist commercial lender Thinktank has announced the appointment of its newest senior member and “refreshed brand identity”. Thinktank CEO Jonathan Street says the lender is pleased to welcome Peter Vala into the newly created role of head of sales and distribution. “This key appointment has arrived at a transformative time for our business as we build on the back of a significant expansion in our funding lines, as well as the introduction of a number of key initiatives based around technology, product development and brand reach.” Vala comes to Thinktank following six years as a senior manager and executive at ANZ, where he held roles ranging from regional industry specialisation manager to his most recent position as district executive in business banking. His experience spans residential, commercial and development finance, including “highly specialised” skills in strategic plan implementation. “Peter’s very strong financial services background and proven experience working with brokers and aggregators will be invaluable as he shapes this high-profile senior position within Thinktank,” says Street. “He will be a very visible face and presence for Thinktank in an exciting and challenging period ahead. Our executive management team very much looks forward to working with Peter and, in particular, benefiting from his industry experience and contacts in third-party distribution. We are extremely confident it will prove to be a great and successful combination.”
FOLLOWING A STRATEGIC REVIEW OF THE BUSINESS, WE FELT IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO REFRESH OUR LOOK AND FEEL – J ONATHAN STREET Vala’s appointment also coincides with the launch of Thinktank’s new branding, seen for the first time at the recent MFAA 2013 National Convention. “Following a strategic review of the business, we felt it was the right time to refresh our look and feel. We’ve grown significantly since we launched almost a decade ago, and we wanted an identity that reflects our leadership position and commitment to our borrowers and finance partners.”
Broker site takes out top award
A
ustralian real estate social networking site Housenet.com.au has been named one of Australia’s 100 most innovative products or services in Anthill Magazine’s SMART 100 Index. Housenet CEO Darren Moffatt says he’s “thrilled” with the accolade. “We’ve worked super hard to build an innovation that helps people get better results with property, so it’s great to receive this recognition.”
MEMBERSHIP IS GROWING FAST, AND I’M SURE THIS AWARD WILL HELP EVEN MORE – D ARREN MOFFATT
VIC BROKER HONOURED
V
ictorian broker Tracey Pye was named top Mortgage Express broker at the Harcourts National Conference on the Gold Coast in June. Pye won the two top awards, beating 28 other brokers from across Australia to earn the title of Top Mortgage Broker in number of settled mortgage referrals and number of settled Harcourts referrals. “After having been in business for many years, I’ve learnt the value of customer service as well as the rewards from hard work,” she says. “Being part of the Mortgage Express team now means I have support from other colleagues, access to IT systems and advertising, and the feeling of being part of a team. I am honoured to be the Mortgage Express Top Broker of the Year and very proud to be associated with the Harcourts Group.” This year’s conference marked Harcourts’ 125-year anniversary and had a theme of ‘One team: Celebrating 125 years’. “We are proud of Tracey and what she has achieved. She is part of a strong network of mortgage brokers across Australia who are committed to achieving the best for their clients,” says Mortgage Express CEO Marcus Williams. “The theme of one team is very relevant for us as we work extremely closely with Harcourts estate agents.”
Moffatt says Housenet aims to be the ‘base station’ site for homeowners, investors, residents and first home buyers. “We think our custom technology fills the gap that exists in your digital world between traditional real estate portals, property forums and social media. People use Facebook for friends and LinkedIn is for your career, but what about your home? What site is the base for your property and online relationships with the locals where you live or invest? Housenet is that site.” He says Housenet members can connect with other residents and ‘property people’ in their suburbs, access live market data to find real estate bargains across Australia, and manage home improvement projects using an online renovation tool. “Membership is growing fast, and I’m sure this award will help even more, which is great.”